In response to militant rail union leader Mick Lynch’s assertion that Kyiv instigated Russia’s invasion by “playing with Nazi imagery,” the Ukrainian government yesterday retaliated.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, the infrastructure secretary for Ukraine, charged that by spreading Kremlin propaganda, Mr. Lynch had lost “his connection with reality.”
He claimed that the RMT leader should have shown support for the murdered Ukrainian rail workers who had been a lifeline for millions of escaping refugees. Mr. Lynch has denied spreading propaganda from the Kremlin.
As he and the UK’s transport secretary, Grant Shapps, signed a deal to aid in the restoration of Ukraine’s transportation infrastructure, Mr. Kubrakov spoke to the Daily Mail. This agreement brought the UK’s support to almost £4 billion.
This month, Mr. Lynch said in an interview with the New Statesman magazine, “The EU also caused a lot of trouble in Ukraine.” Being pro-EU and doing everything else was the main focus.
“In Ukraine, there were many dishonest politicians… There were a lot of people playing with Nazi imagery, referencing the Second World War, and other things in Ukraine.
The allegations concerning neo-Nazi organisations in Ukraine mirror those made by the Kremlin.
When questioned about the remarks, Mr. Kubrakov responded, “This is unquestionably the Russian narrative. They use the same language and convey the same messages in Russia.
It is disappointing to hear such opinions from the man claiming to speak for the British rail industry because our people, the railroad workers, are heroes.
“Even yesterday, some of our railroad employees and workers were killed by Russian attacks, and many more were injured, and instead he [Mr. Lynch] should be showing solidarity with them,” the statement reads.
Eddie Dempsey, Mr. Lynch’s deputy, in particular, has long had sympathies for the pro-Putin separatists in eastern Ukraine.
When Mr. Dempsey travelled to the Donbas in 2015, he took pictures with Aleksey Mozgovoy, the head of the rebel group known as the “Ghost Brigade,” who are pro-Russian.
Additionally, he was one of the most prominent signatories to a declaration from the Stop the War Coalition that criticised Nato for demonstrating “disdain for Russian interests” in Ukraine.
“Mick Lynch should stop repeating Russian misinformation and join the British people in really supporting Ukrainians,” Mr. Shapps said. Following the agreement made yesterday, Britain will provide Ukraine with knowledge as part of a £10 million plan to aid in the nation’s infrastructure reconstruction.
According to Mr. Lynch, he wasn’t spreading Kremlin propaganda. I fully reject the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he told the Mail. Putin is disgusting. I believe that Russia should immediately halt hostilities and leave Ukraine.